It was Friday and Louis had to work his normal hours. It was already a few minutes past 6:00, so it was a good thing he didn't have a long commute. He kissed me soundly and then kicked me out of his apartment. Lovingly, of course.

I practically floated back to my room. My mother wouldn't be up for a few hours, and there was no sign of my dad. When I stepped inside my own space, I laughed a giddy laugh and flopped onto my bed. I was still in shock - my life was going to be different from now on. I still had some apprehension about breaking up with Richard and breaking the news to my parents, but this time, for the first time,  I wasn't alone.

I'd stayed up late, but I wasn't tired, so I decided to take a shower. When I got in, I washed up leisurely. I shaved and gave my hair a deep conditioning. I started thinking about last night and how arousing it was to make out with Louis and to feel his excitement. He was right; I wasn't ready for sex yet, although I wanted more than I ever imagined before. I touched myself lightly and just imagined what it might be like to let Louis see and feel all of me. I was a little more shy than I'd been after the dream; perhaps because this was so much more real now.

I decided not to linger in the shower much longer. I was too excited about starting my day. I chose a light, summery outfit since it was scorching hot now that it was late July. As I put the sleeveless t-shirt on along with the skinny capris, I wondered if Louis would like them. Would I even see Louis today? I started to wonder how we'd see each other on a regular basis. He worked at our home, of course, but we couldn't exactly kiss and flirt in broad daylight.

It wasn't long before I got a text from Louis: Hey, come down to the pool when you get a chance!  I want to ask you a question. Lou.

I was about to head down there when Danielle quietly crept in. She looked at me in surprised. "You're up!"

"Yes, I am!" I said cheerfully.

"Oh, I wasn't sure how you'd be feeling after last night," she said cautiously.

I whispered, "Well, you don't know what happened after you left."

Her eyes grew wide. "What happened?"

"I went to Louis' room..."

"And?!" She said with obvious impatience.

"I apologized..."

"You're killing me here!"

"He forgave me and we kissed and I spent the night."

"You didn't!" She said, clearly not believing I was capable of such a dramatic departure from the rules of my rigidly structured life.

"I did, but we only kissed, nothing more! But I told him I loved him."

"Ashten! That's amazing! So what did he say!"

"He made me promise to never do that to him again. And I'm going to break up with Richard when I see him again."

Danielle gave me a perplexed look. "Why wait until you see him? Just dump him already!"

"I wish it were that easy, but we've been together for five years, so he deserves to be told in person, I think. I'm not going to text him, for heaven's sake!"

Maybe Richard sensed that I was talking about him, or maybe fate was on my side today, because not a minute later, my phone buzzed and Richard's name popped up on the caller ID.

"Hi, Richard," I said, trying not to let him hear the quiver in my voice. I gave a Danielle a worried look.

"Hello, Darling, how are you today?" He cooed.

"Um, doing fine. Just getting ready for the day," I said nonchalantly.

"Good. Hey, I just wanted to talk to you about a few wedding plans," he said.

I bit my lip, not sure what to say. Finally, I let out a hesitant, "Okay."

"Ashten, what is going on?" He demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean all of a sudden, you're flirty and playful, and the next second, you're blocking me out again. You haven't said one word to me about wedding plans. I'm starting to think you're not excited about this!"

I remained silent for too long, trying to figure out how to answer him.

"Ashten?!" He practically shouted through the phone. "Are you listening to me?"

"I'm sorry, Richard," I said hoarsely. "I don't know what to say."

"How about I still want to marry you?" He said impatiently.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath and then I let the truth tumble out. "No, Richard. I don't."

He yelled loud enough that Danielle could hear him. "What the hell are you talking about!? We've been together for five years! You never thought to tell me before now that you're just not interested?!"

Danielle mouthed out holy shit!  while I cringed at the volume in Richard's voice.

"It's not like that, and you know it! I did love you, and I still do. Just not as a boyfriend or a husband."

"What does that mean?"

It's...uh...it's complicated Richard. I didn't want to do this over the phone. I wanted to be able to talk it through in person."

I heard him give an exasperated sigh. "I think I know what's going on here."

"And what's that?" I asked in an irritated voice.

"You're cheating on me. Why else would you suddenly be so seductive towards me, but then hold back like you did? You didn't want to give it to me because you've already been sleeping with someone else! Isn't that right?" He shouted.

"No!" I spat. "And I don't appreciate the accusation!"

"I know better. I know you, playing all innocent with me while you're someone else's slut."

His words stung, even though they weren't true. "Don't talk to me like that! I would never do such a thing, and you know it! The truth is that we just stayed together because it was all we'd known for the past several years. But we're not right for each other. It was comfortable and convenient, but it wasn't love, Richard."

"I do love you," he whispered hoarsely.

"I don't love you, Richard and l really don't think you love, me either." Then I gathered my last bit of courage and said, "It's over."

"Can we still talk when I get home?" He asked, his voice weak and defeated.

"Of course we can."

When I ended the call, I felt a strange mixture of hurt and guilt and a lot of relief. I couldn't believe I'd finally done it! But it sounded like Richard was genuinely hurt. I had assumed that he would be as relieved as I was. I didn't like the idea that I actually broke his heart.

"You did it!" Danielle gasped.

"I sure did," I said, falling backward onto my bed. 

It was time to find Louis to give him an update and to find out why he wanted me to meet him. But I also wanted to take a swim. It was ungodly hot today and even the central air wasn't helping much. I put on my pink and yellow bikini and a cover up, and went to the pool.

I didn't see Louis right away, so I laid down on my favorite chaise lounger. Only a few moments later, I felt droplets of water on my legs.

"Is it raining?" I asked playfully and then I opened my eyes to see Louis standing there, letting water drop from his hand onto my skin. I stood up quickly to escape, I ran to the pool and scooped up a big handful of water, throwing it back at him.

He splashed me back and then I ran for shelter inside the pool house. I also knew it would be the only place I could talk to him in secret.

He came running after me, already sweaty from the afternoon sun. I hopped onto a bar stool in the kitchen and squealed, "Guess what?"

"What?" He asked, already wrapping his arms around me, leaning in to kiss me. 

"I did it! I broke up with Richard!"

He squeezed me tight and buried his face in my shoulder. "You don't waste any time, do you?" He asked, pulling back to look at me.

"Not when I know what I want," I said with a little wink.

He cradled my face and gave me a deep and warm kiss. Every single kiss from him blew me away. It was like they kept getting better and better, even though I couldn't imagine how that was possible. 

"I'm proud of you," he said sweetly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I told you, I think you're finding the strength that's been inside of you all along."

"Thank you," I said, leaning my head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me again and he just held me for a while.

While my face was still pressed to him, absorbing his heartbeat. "You asked me to come down here?"

"Yes, I did!" He stepped back and gave me one of his most beatiful smiles. He took my hand and kissed it, trying to be all polished and proper. "Would you, Ashten Norwood, do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

"A date?" I asked, feeling like a silly school girl.

"How about tomorrow afternoon? I have the day off for some personal business, and then I can have Preston bring you to meet me somewhere. You know, so we can be all secretive."

"Can you afford to take me on a date, Tomlinson?" I teased.

"A date doesn't have to entail private jets and Paris," he teased right back. "I have a plan and I think you'll like it."

"Very well, then," I said. "I accept."